They've finally changed my frameset under warrany. I was thinking and believing that, it was just a rare unluckiness for me and would use my new frameset without any problems:)

But unfortunately things didn't went as i thought.

My new (2nd) warrantied frameset cracked from the seattube area, just after riding it few km's.. At the begining they've denied changing it under warranty, and offered me a crash replacement.I didn't accept of course.. Especially considering my first defective evo frameset, it was obvious that it was most probably an another qc issue from Cannondale.Few days after on my negative reply, they strangely accepted to change the frameset under warranty.It was a manufacturing defect to them, after inspecting the photos one more time

Now i was sure that, there was really a production or quality control problem with their factory, in China.(at least with evo frames)Two defective frames could not be explained just with luck!

Finally just few days ago, my third (3rd) warrantied frameset arrived. I was already discouraged badly and even not happy, when considering the previous defective frames and all warranty periods.Once again i opened the box and inspected the frameset carefully before setting it up.During the inspection i noticed that, the buttom headset bearing cradle was defective, and it can be easily move by finger.That was again a big discouragement for me. We took some photos and repeated the warranty procedures.

And finally today, cannondale replied me which turned me really mad!

They shamelessly adviced me to try fixing the defective cracked area, by using some epoxy.I cannnot believe how does a big company like cannondale can response to their customer like this way. This was totally a brandnew frameset, received as a warranty replacement.And because the brandnew framset is defecetive, their solution is just advising to fix it.I think even the replika and noname frame manufacturers wouldn't offer a absurd solution like this.

I was expecting an apologize and a sudden frame change to fix this shame, but unfortunately cannondale's solution was totally different.

Kind of reminds me of the crackandfail I bought many years ago. It was spec'd with Coda parts and was a nightmare. One problem after the other... Brakes didn't work and ate up a set of pads every couple of rides. Chainring bent sprinting uphill. Fork was sent to factory many times and always came back with leaks. Rear hub needed a new body every couple of rides. Rims went out of true every couple of rides. I spent a lot of money buying that nightmare bike and even more money constantly fixing it.I ended up replacing almost every part on it with other brands and then sold the bike.My advice is to keep asking for a new frame until you get one that is good enough, sell it and buy another brand...

Kind of reminds me of the crackandfail I bought many years ago. It was spec'd with Coda parts and was a nightmare. One problem after the other... Brakes didn't work and ate up a set of pads every couple of rides. Chainring bent sprinting uphill. Fork was sent to factory many times and always came back with leaks. Rear hub needed a new body every couple of rides. Rims went out of true every couple of rides. I spent a lot of money buying that nightmare bike and even more money constantly fixing it.I ended up replacing almost every part on it with other brands and then sold the bike.My advice is to keep asking for a new frame until you get one that is good enough, sell it and buy another brand...

Thanks for your reply. The most irritateing moment in this warranty period was cannondale's epoxy repair advice, for their brandnew defective frameset.Also sorry, (not so surprised) to hear the similar continous problems you've faced with cannondale. I'm exactly thinking the same, with your advice.

First I looked at your complete bike and man, what a fine piece of machinery. A very balanced component spec indeed.

I wouldn't worry about that lower bearing, it's very common in many frames. The headset bearings have the angular surface to keep them aligned and that area in your head tube that supports it seems intact. Plus carbon frames can be easily repaired.

At one point, my Scott Addict had a a crack in the top tube right at the front cable boss that grew to about 75% of its circumference. Funny, since it's essentially the predecessor to your Evo. Anyway, I had it repaired and presto, all fixed. I agree on the QC. The factory making these frames probably turn out record numbers of frames engineered close to the limits of reproducibility. Issues like yours are probably so minor that they pass inspection. Yours is not a defective frame in its functionality.

You could sell it and get another frame from another brand. There are plenty of production frames to be found with a nearly identical geometry. The Neilpryde Bura SL comes mind and I believe it's dead close in weight as well (perhaps even on the lighter side?). The Felt F FRD might be a worthier alternative come to think of it.

Best wishes in sorting out your frame gripes.

_________________“I always find it amazing that a material can actually sell a product when it’s really the engineering that creates and dictates how well that material will behave or perform.” — Chuck Teixeira

I'm not an expert on carbon, but there are a number of them on here. Perhaps they can have a look and determine a possible cause for the damage. Mr. Luescher? Mr. Berk? Mr. Crumpton? Mr. Schnura?

_________________“I always find it amazing that a material can actually sell a product when it’s really the engineering that creates and dictates how well that material will behave or perform.” — Chuck Teixeira

Obviously a car is not a bike and visa versa but I think of it as if my Mercedes had a defect, I would not expect them to give me a new Mercedes. That said, I would have at least inspected the frame very well before sending it to you. Probably would have fixed it before sending it to you too [or anyone else for that matter]. Sure would be better than having a thread made of the poor QC done at the factory.

Quality employees are hard to find, about as hard as finding a quality employer.

I'm willing to bet there is more to this story then the original poster is telling us. Cannondale is an honest company and has always been good about warranties.

bikerjulio wrote:

where is the retailer in this sad story?

Don't Cannondale deal through them?

I've read similar expressions on my earlier defective frame's topic also.Maybe cannondale is really a honest company and good about warranties as you mentioned, but it should be effective in some countries only. I live in europe region and i've written directly to servicedeskeurope when they didn't accept my 2nd frame's(seattube crack issue) warranty replacement. But strangely, only about one week after i've contacted them, they had accepted that, crack has occured because of a manufacturing defect and decided to change my cracked frame under warranty.(Their first response to my dealer was negative, as they've only offered me a crash replacement)

And today, (for my 3rd warrantied frameset) i'm hearing from my dealer that, cannondale advised them to get my brandnew frame for patching the defective area, as a solution.

And yes, unfortunately our dealer is not enough for these kind of correspondances. That's why i had to write my own complaints directly to servicedeskeurope and try to solve these warranty issues by myself.Normally, i should never write to them and dealer should have solved my problems. But when they are unsuccessful/not enough, OR cannondale doesn't care and listen to them, i have to contact them directly as a customer.

Obviously a car is not a bike and visa versa but I think of it as if my Mercedes had a defect, I would not expect them to give me a new Mercedes. That said, I would have at least inspected the frame very well before sending it to you. Probably would have fixed it before sending it to you too [or anyone else for that matter]. Sure would be better than having a thread made of the poor QC done at the factory.

Quality employees are hard to find, about as hard as finding a quality employer.

If the defect would be just cosmetic, i could understand it.But the defect(crack) i'm talking about is on the frame, where it takes serious amount of loads.Now think that, you buy a brandnew mercedes car with a crack under it's chasis. Would you accept to use it, if they would offer you just welding the cracked area, instead of changing?

As a Mercedes Mechanic for over 30 years, Yes, without a shadow of a doubt, they would not give you a new car. They would fix it [As a McLaren and Maybach tech too, they would not either]. Matter of fact, I know when there is damage to cars when they get shipped oversea to America, they are repaired, and sold as new. As soon as you purchase it, you will not get a new one. If you Lemon Law it, you rarely ever get a new car. That said, there are bigger money issues and not to mention, there is a VIN that you would have to wonder about.

Not saying you are right or wrong, just saying. Especially since they are warranting a frame, they never said you are entitled to a new one [guessing on the fine print of the warranty paperwork]. It is usually in their best interest to set you up with a new one. That's where a good employee would step up and perform a final QC inspection before they ship it to you. If that was repaired before you got it, you most likely may have not noticed it and we all would be having a good Thanksgiving day [at least in the USA].

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